Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

This Century-Old Mumbai Apartment Takes Color to a Whole New Level

This Century-Old Mumbai Apartment Takes Color to a Whole New Level

A design entrepreneur and a filmmaker have created an immersive space that keeps dreams alive, even in challenging times.

Twenty-seven years ago, Srila Chatterjee and Mahesh Mathai walked into an apartment in a 1904 Indian Colonial–style building in a historic area of Mumbai-and they knew within minutes that it was exactly where they were supposed to be. The space, in a building once called the Castle for its turret, had been shoddily carved up into four separate flats. But Mathai, a filmmaker, and Chatterjee, a film producer turned interior designer who owns the lifestyle site Baro Market, were undeterred. They tore down extraneous walls, which opened the space up, and fixed floors that had been damaged by a leaky roof. Ten years later, they added an outdoor terrace.

                            

The home’s exuberant decor has similarly grown organically as they have amassed pieces from near (pottery tiles from Jaipur, antiques from Mumbai’s Thieves Market) and far (a rug from Morocco, a pendant light from Turkey).

                            

“My home reflects my upbringing-of being true to myself and what I believe,” says Chatterjee, who grew up in Calcutta. That unwavering authenticity has made her home even more comforting during a period when India has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is a time to reset and to think about how to make our lives more local,” she says. “Design needs to answer honest questions about how you really feel about something, rather than just following it because it’s the done thing.”

Take a Tour of This Color-Saturated Mumbai Apartment




Living Room


In the living room of Srila Chatterjee and Mahesh Mathai’s Mumbai apartment, the sectional is by Baro and the chairs and ottoman are custom. The vintage Art Deco pendant is from the Mumbai flea market, the rugs are Moroccan, and the tiger sculpture is from Kerala. The room features artworks by Anjum Singh, Adeela Suleman, F.N. Souza, Sushil Soni, and Rekha Rodwittiya.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×